In addition to headaches, people with GERD may experience sleep disruption from acid reflux that results in fatigue from lack of quality sleep.

GERD is caused by the backwards flow of stomach acid into the esophagus. The burning sensation as well as the bitter taste of acid can wake people up from even deep sleep, resulting in fatigue or exhaustion.

Migraine and gastrointestinal symptoms can sometimes occur together. This can include acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting.

One study based on a survey of over 1,800 people with migraine found that almost half had both GERD and heartburn.

Another study of 378 people found that the prevalence of migraine is higher in people with dyspeptic symptoms like acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting.

Migraine treatments and acid reflux

Migraine treatments may also be a cause of acid reflux. NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are often used to alleviate migraine or headache pain. These medications can irritate the stomach, causing reflux to occur.

Several studies have found that acid reflux and headaches or migraines can occur together.

Several gastrointestinal conditions, including IBS and dyspepsia, may exhibit both symptoms.

Lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications may be enough to eliminate acid reflux and headache. If these aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe medications for both symptoms.

Headache, gastritis and immunodeficiency

Headache, gastritis and immunodeficiency... You might be surprised by this combination of diseases, but they have more in common than you might think.

Whatever they write on the Internet about the causes of headaches: increased intracranial pressure, and cervical osteochondrosis, and brain tumors, and problems with blood vessels, and even intolerance to cheeses or nitrates. In fact, these are probably the rarest causes of its occurrence. nine0003

The accumulation of excess fluid around the brain is a potentially dangerous condition, and it occurs in no more than 0.01% of people. Pain with increased intracranial pressure is daily and intensifies when lying down, this does not creep up suddenly, and you don’t need to think about it with periodic discomfort.

Hernias and protrusions of the spine cause pain only in 4% of cases, and even if you have them, this is not a reason to blame them for the pain. It has been unambiguously proven that people with and without them have headaches equally often. nine0003

The notorious osteochondrosis is not even a disease, but a manifestation of the natural withering of the body, and over time (by the age of forty) appears in everyone. But not all the older half of the people in the world suffer from this.

Brain tumors do not hurt, except in the last stages, when they start to put pressure on something. But at this point, many other symptoms will appear (impaired perception, gait, speech), so you should not think about cancer with a headache at all, unless you are an elderly person who has suddenly and greatly lost weight. nine0003

The only thing that can be said about vascular disorders is that the obstruction of the blood supply to the brain does not lead to pain, at most to fainting and a decrease in mental abilities. The only exception is a hemorrhagic stroke (including from an aneurysm rupture), but here it’s not a headache that will alert you, but a lack of coordination of movements and slurred speech.

It has recently become fashionable to attribute headaches to food intolerances as the cause. The list of possible provocateurs includes all the most delicious things: from cheese and fruits to olives and bacon. Of course, there are individual food allergic reactions, but then the cause is still the gastritis itself, and not the allergy itself. nine0003

And now we come to the more common, though less "obvious" causes of headaches, which include gastritis, dehydration, infections, eye strain, and emotional stress.

Gastritis
With gastritis, 27% of people, even without complaints about the stomach, experience a headache, especially if they forget to eat on time. Sometimes a headache is the only symptom that points to an ulcer. When digestion is disturbed, the stomach starts a mechanism aimed at finding food. Signals amplified by inflammation “overstrain” the brain, and the head begins to hurt. By the way, hunger itself (low blood sugar) can cause a headache by the same mechanism. The paradox is that an increased level of sugar can create similar inconveniences for a person due to an increase in adrenaline and norepinephrine after a hearty meal. In general, eat in moderation. nine0003

What does a person with a headache do? He takes painkillers, which, by an unfortunate coincidence, themselves cause gastritis. Paracetamol, analgin, ibuprofen, celecoxib, ketanol, diclofenac, nimesulide - they all irritate the gastric mucosa and increase acid production, although ibuprofen is the most relatively safe in this matter. And here you can meet another paradox: taking painkillers can cause pain in the head (this is in the instructions). This happens because this is how the vicious circle of "headache - painkiller - gastritis - headache" closes. nine0003

Dehydration
Who does not drink coffee at work, he drinks tea. And he does it right. Coffee is a diuretic drink, but we perceive it as a consumed liquid and do not notice creeping dehydration. Although it would be worth considering why in many cafes, along with espresso, they immediately bring you a glass of water. The same goes for beer, about the need for a restroom after which everyone knows. In addition, most of the working population snacks on something fatty (sandwiches with cheese or sausage, nuts, chocolate), and more water is required to break down fats. And it’s not even about the sensational “need for 2 liters a day” - it is actually different not only for different people, but also for the same person on different days. The point is the ratio of consumed and wasted moisture. When breathing and sweating in a dry climate (as in our apartments during the heating season), more water is required than on a cool summer evening on the seashore. It is curious that you always want to drink after taking a shower, where everything seems to be in order with humidity. It’s just that in hot water we still sweat a lot, but the sweat is immediately washed off and does not help the body to cool down; the body tries to produce more and more sweat, losing more and more moisture, leading to dehydration and post-bath headaches. nine0003

Infections
If it hurts from behind, everyone will suspect the neck, and if it hurts from the front, it is logical to think about the nose. More precisely, the sinuses of the nose are frontal (in the forehead), maxillary (under the eyes) and ethmoid (deep behind the nose). When the mucous membrane of the sinuses swells, the outflow from them deteriorates, and this is felt as a bursting pain in the head. In this case, a runny nose may not be at all, as well as other manifestations of a cold. Similarly, an ear infection begins - only a headache, although hearing loss or congestion, as in an airplane, with swelling of the Eustachian tube, may join. But it's not just about swelling of the sinuses or ear canals. An infection that has settled in a chronic way in your nose or anywhere else is bacteria and viruses, the particles of which are toxins for us. As a result, any chronic infectious disease is a source of constant intoxication, and it makes your head hurt. nine0003

Eye strain
Since childhood, mothers have been telling all of us: “Do not sit in front of the screen for a long time, you will plant your eyesight.” And then, at work, most people got monitors that you just need to look at for a long time. Eye strain has become invisible due to the daily use of smartphones, tablets and laptops. It is difficult for the brain to imagine that something permanent can be harmful (as with the atmospheric air that we breathe, usually without thinking about the exhaust gases in it). And the constant load on the eye muscles without refocusing leads to eye pain, which we can perceive as a headache. Of course, in the process of peering into the depths of the screen, we do not notice the overstrain of the neck muscles, but true neck pain occurs in only 1% of cases and it is associated with subluxation of the vertebra, and this is a completely different story. nine0003

Surprisingly, not all people with poor eyesight are aware of their inferiority and not everyone starts wearing glasses in time. The principle of a headache with uncorrected myopia or suddenly creeping farsightedness is the same: overstrain of the eye muscles. You should also visit an ophthalmologist to rule out glaucoma, a disease with increased intraocular pressure, which also makes you reach for painkillers.

Emotional stress
“I already have a headache from this whole situation” is a typical expression. Yes, stress is the favorite cause of headaches, tension pains. The mechanisms of chronic headache in anxiety-depressive disorder, which manifests itself to one degree or another in half of the people in the Western world, have long been described. (Where to go, retribution for the race of progress with its frantic pace of life, constant lack of sleep, scandalous bosses and deadlines). In short, stress is excess arousal running around in a circle in a certain area of ​​the brain. This zone is constantly active and cannot “rest”, neurons do not have time to get rid of decay products and send a signal for help in the form of pain and anxiety. If stress becomes chronic, then the receptors on nerve cells are rearranged, as a result of which the exchange of neurotransmitters is disrupted and depression develops. And one of the masks of depression (a link to my “why it hurts”) is just a headache. nine0003

A separate discussion about migraine, a severe unilateral throbbing headache accompanied by nausea, intolerance to bright light and strong odors, preceded by a migraine aura (repetitive unusual visual effects). Migraine attacks turn off performance, and should be treated by a neurologist without any self-medication.

What NOT to do for headaches (unless, of course, a neurologist referred you):

• MRI of the brain - completely different symptoms indicate cancer, and not pain at all, so what should we look for there? nine0046
• MRI of the neck - even if there are protrusions and hernias, this will not say anything about the cause of the pain and will not affect the treatment in any way.
• Ultrasound of the vessels of the neck is not necessary if you do not faint. This study is prescribed by cardiologists to assess atherosclerosis, headache has nothing to do with it.
• EEG is an old method, effective for detecting only epilepsy. Popular only because of its price, when you need to "assign something."

How to get examined if your head often bothers you:

• Go to a neurologist: he is the “pain chief”, during the examination he will immediately (usually even without additional examinations) tell you about the causes of your illness and prescribe treatment.
• See an ophthalmologist: Glaucoma and blurred vision are common causes of headaches. It will also eliminate the swelling of the fundus, and you will be sure that everything is in order with your intracranial pressure.
• Make FGDS (gastroscopy): almost everyone has digestive problems, and, if cured in time, they will not create complications, including a headache. nine0046
• Donate blood for clinical analysis, check immunity and do cultures from the intestines, from the tonsils and the reproductive system to exclude chronic infections.
• Control of blood pressure: a cardiologist or therapist will help you do this, if necessary, directing you to daily monitoring of pressure.
• Consult a psychotherapist: if stress is constant and has already begun to affect health, it is better not to delay it and learn how to deal with it in time before it develops into something more serious. nine0046
• And you also need to exclude the simplest possible causes - annoying spirits of your neighbor, an uncomfortable sofa for sleeping, or even clips that press on your ears. Sometimes it happens "and the casket just opened."

Pain is an important signal, and despite the fact that 9 out of 10 times the head hurts “by itself”, from overexertion, in 10% of cases, pain can indicate the presence of a problem that can be dangerous to ignore.

Be examined and treated in time, and be healthy! nine0003

Intestinal infections - Prevention is easier than cure

Friday, 7 July 2017

When in the summer your eyes just run up from the abundance of vegetables and fruits, you want to try everything you see. And then for some reason I remember that there is nowhere to wash my hands before putting that strawberry into my mouth ... or that peach ... And they shamelessly lie and seduce with ruddy sides, with all their appearance promising an unearthly taste. nine0003

What are intestinal infections?

There are quite a few causative agents of intestinal infections - these can be both bacteria and various types of viruses that enter the body along with poor-quality or unsanitary food, with unwashed vegetables and fruits, through contact of food and utensils with dirty hands, etc. e. As you can see - mainly through the mouth. And, once in the body, these uninvited guests develop violent activity there, as a result of which a person feels bad. nine0003

Common signs of acute intestinal infections are a feeling of weakness, headache, fever. These signs are the more pronounced, the more poisoned the body. And each gastrointestinal disease has its own special symptoms.

If the stomach is affected, then we are talking about gastritis. The most common signs of it are the upper abdomen begins to hurt, vomiting and nausea are also present.

When the small intestine is affected, enteritis is diagnosed. A doctor can determine this if there are complaints of abdominal pain, bloating, liquid watery diarrhea (perhaps even with mucus or greenery) - this indicates a malfunction in the process of digestion and absorption of food. nine0003

Pathologies in the work of the large intestine are called colitis. If greens, mucus or streaks of blood are present in the stool, the desire to visit the toilet is accompanied by severe pain and cramping pains periodically occur in the abdomen - this is it.

But in real life, it rarely happens that only one section of the gastrointestinal tract is affected. Basically, several departments are hit - if the large and small intestines, then the diagnosis will sound like "enterocolitis", if the stomach and small intestines - then it will already be gastroenteritis, if the entire digestive tract is affected - this is called gastroenterocolitis. nine0003

Just do not flatter yourself that with a cold snap, intestinal infections will also “fall into hibernation”. In place of autumn-summer bacterial infections in winter and spring, their viral relatives come. So the principle "forewarned is forearmed" will never be superfluous.

Types of intestinal infections

Dysentery, also known as shigellosis (it got its second name due to the fact that it is caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella) can be picked up from a bacteriocarrier or a sick person. Shigella bacteria are quite tenacious - they are cold-resistant, they can live for quite a long time in food (especially in dairy products) and water. The incubation period for dysentery is 2-3 days. It is determined with symptoms such as fever, lack of appetite, lethargy, frequent but scanty stools with streaks of blood or mucus, abdominal pain. Vomiting can be only in the first day, no more than a couple of times. nine0003

Salmonellosis, caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella, is transmitted not only from a sick person, but also from domestic animals (chickens, cows, etc.). These bacteria can live for a long time in water and food (meat, eggs, dairy products) and are resistant to low temperatures. Once in a warm environment, bacteria begin to multiply diligently, resulting in the formation of toxic substances. The incubation period is from four hours to two days, symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, weakness (doesn't it look like dysentery?). To differentiate from dysentery, note frequent loose stools and profuse vomiting. nine0003

Rotavirus infection got its name due to the fact that outwardly its pathogen resembles a wheel in shape (in Latin - rota). You can get it only from a sick person (he is considered contagious 7-10 days from the onset of the disease). Since this virus calmly tolerates cold, the peak incidence of rotavirus infection occurs just in the cold season (late autumn-winter-early spring). Symptoms of the disease - fever up to 38 ° C (maybe higher), lack of appetite, pain in the upper abdomen, frequent vomiting, very frequent bowel movements, loose stools. The incubation period for this disease is 1-2 days, but with a transferred rotavirus, a person is provided with immunity for life. nine0003

Norovirus infection comes from the family of enteroviruses. The most unpleasant thing about this sore is the incredible survivability of its pathogen: norovirus, which is called "does not burn in fire and does not sink in water." He will not only calmly survive being in water, heating up to 60 ° C, but also freezing with drying. And when it enters the human body, after a few hours it manages to do a lot of trouble. With this infection, the fever is minimal, but with nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. After a couple of days, the condition may stabilize, but the person will be contagious for a few more weeks. So wind it on your mustache. nine0003

Food poisoning (this is how doctors call poisoning) is also considered an intestinal infection, it is provoked by bacteria such as Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli or Proteus. The most frequent places of "residence" of this muck are cream cakes and pastries, milk and dairy products, cottage cheese, sausages that are stored incorrectly (for example, in the heat).

Sometimes it also happens that a person has no pronounced symptoms, but pathogenic bacteria are found in the tests (the same E. coli, etc.). This is called "bacteriocarrier" and carries a hidden threat - the spread of infection, without even suspecting its presence. In this case, treatment is necessary until the carrier is completely cured. nine0003

How to avoid intestinal infection?

Trouble is easier to prevent than to get rid of its consequences later. The most important thing is to follow the rules of hygiene. The slogan “Wash your hands before eating” hung in Soviet canteens does not lose its relevance today. And to be more specific, not only before eating, but also after going to the toilet, after returning from the street. If you want to eat in the city and there is no way to wash your hands, carry at least wet wipes or a bottle of antibacterial gel with you. nine0003

If you are going to cook or eat raw vegetables and fruits, they must be thoroughly washed under running water. Do you want to treat a child with a berry? Remember - it is especially necessary to wash strawberries, as they are in contact with the ground. Dairy products, meat, sausages, ready-made salads are best bought at retail outlets equipped with refrigerators. Store them at home only under appropriate conditions, do not leave them on the table for a long time, especially in the heat, and if the expiration date has expired, throw them away. Greed can kick in for the money thrown away, but treating an intestinal infection can be more expensive.

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